



X 



. \ 

66th Congress, ) HOUSE OF EEPRESENTATIVES. ( Report 

3d Session, f ( No. 1201. 



M3 Si%\d' 



CREATE A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. 



January 17, 1921. — Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
the Union and ordered to be printed. 



Mr. Towner, from the Committee on Education, submitted the 

following 



^D -"^1 



^ REPORT. 

[To accompany H. R. 7.] 



The Committee on Education, to which was submitted the accom- 
panying bill, report the same back to the House with certain amend- 
ments with the recommendation that the amendments be agreed to 
and that the bill as thus amended be passed. 

The first amendment on page 2, line 16, after the word ''and," 
strike out the words ''the President is authorized and empowered in 
his discretion to transfer to the Department of Education"; and in 
line 21, after the word "as," strike out the words "in his judgment 
should be controlled by, or the functions of which should be exercised " 
and substitute therefor the words "Congress may determine should 
be administered"; and in line 23 strike out the comma following the 
word "by"; and in line 25, after the word "transferred," strike out 
the words "by the President or", so that the paragraph will read: 

Sec. 3. That there is hereby transferred to the Department of Education the Bureau 
of Education and such offices, bureaus, di"VT.sions, boards, or branches of the Govern- 
ment, connected Avith or attached to any of the executive departments or organized 
independently of any department, as Congress may determine should be administered 
by the Department of Education, and all such offices, bureaus, divisions, boards, or 
branches of the Government so transferred by act of Congress shall thereafter be ad- 
ministered by the Department of Education as hereinafter provided. 

Under the original provision the power to make transfers was 
vested in the President. As amended the power is given to Congress. 
This is considered advisable, especially in view of the recent action of 
Congress creating a joint committee of the Senate and House to con- 
sider and recommend to Congress legislation to consolidate and pre- 
vent duplications in the work of the various administrative branches 
of the Government. The amendment recommended will place the 
bill in line with such action and enable Congress to act as may be 
deemed advisable in harmony with such purpose. 



t^'kM X^ 



2 CREATE A DEPAETMENT OF EDUCATION. 

On page 5, line 2, after the semicolon, strike out the word "and," 
and after the bracketed "[f]" insert the words '^higher educa- 
tion; and." 

This amendment was called to the attention of the committe:' by 
those especially interested in the work of the colleges and universities. 
It was thought by them that as the bill provides for conducting 
studies, investigations, and research by the department in other 
branches of educational work there was no reason to exclude the higher 
branches. Your committee join in this view, and for this reason 
recommend the adoption of the amendment. 

; On page 5, line 18, and on page 6, line 12, the date 1921 is changed 
to 1922. On page 10, line 19, and on page 15, line 22, the date 1920 
is changed to 1921. These changes are necessary to conform with 
the probable date of the passage of the legislation. 

On page 6, lines 17 and 22, and on page 7, line 6, the word "ten" 
is changed in each instance to the word "fourteen." 

The provisions of the bill make the funds provided available for 
illiterates and immigrants 10 years of age and over. As all the 
States provide for free instruction in the public schools, open alike 
to illiterates and immigrants, up to the age of 14, it is considered 
unnecessary that provisions below that age should be carried in 
this bill. 

On page 9, line 5, the comma is stricken out, a period inserted, 
and the following words are stricken out: "and for providing school 
nurses, school dental clinics, and otherwise promoting physical and 
mental welfare." 

Yom- committee believe that the full purpose and design of the 
legislation is stated in the language which precedes the omitted 
portion of the paragraph. It was never the purpose of the sponsors 
of the bill to in any way create or dictate or approve any particular 
system of medicine or surgery or to impose on the unwilling any 
such system. It was only intended that education in the generally 
approved rules and practices of health and sanitation be made avail- 
able. Because the language omitted was unnecessary and was liable 
to misinterpretation, it was thought by the committee that it should 
be omitted. 

On page 10, line 10, after the word " the," insert the words " admin- 
istration and." 

This insertion is to fully indicate the purpose of the provision and 
to make it harm^onize with other provisions of the bill. 

On page 11, line IS, after the word "sum," insert the words "at 
least."' 

This amendment is advised to make more clear the language of 
the provision 

On page 12, line 14, after the word "State," the words "is prepared 
to carry out" are stricken out and the words "has complied with" 
are inserted in lieu thereof. 

This amendment more clearly expresses what was intended, and 
is preferable in form to the language stricken. 

On page 12, line 22, the proviso is stricken out and the following 
proviso inserted in lieu thereof: 

Provided, That courses of study, plans, and methods for carrying out the purposes 
and provisions of this act within a State shall be determined by the State and local 

j LIBRARY 'Oi^'CONGRtSS 
■ I A M 2 1 1 Q 9 1 



\0i2o^ O CREATE A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. 3 

educational authorities of said State, and this act shall not be construed to require 
uniformity of courses of study, plans, and methods in the several States in order 
to secure the benefits herein provided. 

It is thought that this language will jiiore clearly and cojnpleteJy 
state the purpose and intent of the proviso than the original language 
used. It was not the purpose of the bill to give the General Gov- 
ernment power to determine courses of study, or to provide that 
particular plans and methods of carrying out the purposes and 
provisions of the bill were to be adopted as a re quirement for receiv- 
ing the appropriations provided. Neither was it intended that any 
dictation or interference with the public or private school manage- 
ment of any State should be authorized or sanctioned. It is thought 
that to more clearly negative any such inference in that regard the 
amendment is justified. 

On page 13, line 9, after the w^ord "appropriated," strike out 
''and in accordance w^ith the provisions of this act accepted by said 
State" and insert in lieu thereof the words "by Congress." 

The language omitted is unnecessary, and the amendment merely 
makes clearer the purpose of the provision. 

On page 14. line 14, after the word "the," the word "treasury" 
should be "treasurer." The amendment merely provides for a 
verbal correction. 

As amended the bill will read as follows : 

A BILL To create a Department of Education, to authorize appropriations for the conduct of said de- 
partment, to authorize the appropriation of money to encourage the States in the promotion and sup- 
port of education, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America 
in Congress assembled, That there is hereby created an executive department in the 
Government to be called the Department of Education, with a Secretary of Educa- 
tion, who shall be the head thereof, to be appointed by the President, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall receive a salary of $12,000 per 
annum, and whose tenure of office shall be the same as that of the heads of other 
executive departments; and section 158 of the Revised Statutes is hereby amended 
to include such department, and the provisions of title 4 of the Revised Statutes, 
including all amendments thereto, are hereby made applicable to said department. 
The Secretary of Education shall cause a seal of office to be made for such depart- 
ment of such device as the President shall approve, and judicial notice shall be 
taken of said seal. 

Sec. 2. That there shall be in said department an assistant secretary of education , 
to be appointed by the President, who shall receive a salary of S5,000 per annum. 
He shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the secretary or required by 
law. There shall also be one chief clerk and a disbursing clerk and such chiefs of 
bureaus and clerical assistants as may from time to time be authorized by Congress. 

Sec. 3. That there is hereby transferred to the Department of Education the Bureau 
of Education, and such offices, bureaus, di\T.sions, boards, or branches of the Govern- 
ment, connected with or attached to any of the executive departments or organized 
independently of any department, as Congress may determine should be administered 
by the Department of Education, and all such offices, bureaus, di'visions, boards, or 
branches of the Government so transferred by act of Congress shall thereafter be 
administered by the Department of Education, as hereinafter proAaded. 

All officers, clerks, and employees employed in or by any office, bureau, di\dsion, 
board, or branch of the Government, transferred in accordance with the pro\T.sions 
of this act to the Department of Education, shall each and all be transferred to said 
Department of Education at their existing gi'ades and salaries, except where otherwise 
provided in this act; and the office records and papers on file and pertaining exclusively 
to the business of any such office, bureau, division, board, or branch of the Govern- 
ment so transferred, together with the fiirniture and equipment thereof, shall be 
transferred to said department. 

Sec. 4. That the Secretary of Education shall have charge, in the buildings or 
premises occupied by or assigned to the Department of Education, of the library, 



4 CKEATE A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIOIsr. 

furniture, fixtiures, records, and other property used therein or pertaining thereto, 
and may expend for rental of appropriate quarters for the accommodation of the 
Department of Education within the District of Columbia, and for the library, fur- 
niture, equipment, and ail other incidental expenses, such sums as Congress may 
provide from time to time. 

All power and authority conferred by law upon or exercised by the head of sipj 
executive department, or by any administrative board, over any officer, office, bureau, 
division, board, or branch of the Government, transferred in accordance with the 
provisions of this act to the Department of Education, and any and all business 
arising therefrom or pertaining thereto, and all duties performed in connection there- 
with, shall, after such transfer, be vested in and exercised by the Secretary of Edu- 
cation. , 

All laws prescribing the work and defining the duties and powers of the several 
offices, bureaus, divisions, boards, or branches of the Government, transferred in 
accordance with the provisions of this act to the Department of Education, shall, 
in so far as the same are not in conflict v.dth the provisions of this act, remain in full 
force and effect and be executed by the Secretary of Education, to whom is hereby 
granted definite authority to reorganize the work of any and all of the said office^, 
bureaus, divisions, boards, or branches of the Government so transferred in such ^'^ '^" 
as will in his judgment best accomplish the purposes of this act 

Sec. 5. That it shall be the duty of the Department of Education to conduct studies 
and investigations in the field of education and to report thereon. Research shall 
be undertaken in (a) illiteracy; (b) immigrant education; (c) public school education, 
and especially rural education; (d) physical education, including health educal^ion, 
recreation, and sanitation; (e) preparation and supply of competent teachers for the 
public schools; (f) higher education; and in such other fields as, in the judgment of the 
Secretary of Education, may require attention and study. 

In order to carry out the provisions of this section the Secretary of Education is 
authorized, in the same manner as provided for appointments in other departments, 
to make appointments, or recommendations of appointments, of educational attaches 
to foreign embassies, and of such investigators and representatives as may be needed, 
subject to the appropriations that have been made or may hereafter be made to any 
office, bureau, division, board, or branch of the Government transferred in accordance 
with the provisions of this act to the Department of Education; and where appropria- 
tions have not been made therefor the appropriation provided in section 6 of this act 
shall be made available. 

Sec. 6. That for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1922, and annually thereafter, the 
sum of 1500,000 is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the Department of Education, for the purpose 
of paying salaries and conducting investigations and paying all incidental and travel- 
ing expenses and rent where necessary, and for the piu'pose of enabling the Department 
of Education to carry out the provisions of this act. And all appropriations which 
have been made and which may hereafter be made to any office, bureau, division, 
board, or branch of the Government, transferred in accordance with the provisions of 
this act to the Department of Education, are hereby continued in full force and effect, 
and shall be administered by the Secretary of Education in such manner as is pre- 
scribed by law. 

Sec. 7. That in order to encourage the States in the promotion and support of edu- 
cation, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treas- 
ury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1922, and annually 
thereafter, $100,000,000, to be apportioned, disbursed, and expended as hereinafter 
provided. 

Sec 8. That in order to encourage the States to remove illiteracy, three-fortieths 
of the sum authorized to be appropriated by section 7 of this act shall be used for the 
instruction of illiterates 14 years of age and over. Such instruction shall deal with 
the common-school branches and the duties of citizenship, and when advisable shall 
prepare for some definite occupation. Said sum shall be apportioned to the States 
in the proportions which their respective illiterate populations of 14 years of age and 
over, not including foreign-t)orn illiterates, bear to such total illiterate population of 
the United States, not including outlying possessions, according to the last preceding 
census of the United States. 

Sec. 9. That in order to encourage the States in the Americanization of immigrants, 
three-fortieths of the sum authorized to be appropriated by section 7 of this act shall 
be used to teach immigrants 14 years of age and over to speak and read the English 
language and to understand and appreciate the spirit and purpose of the American 
Government and the duties of citizenship in a free country. The said sum shall be 



CREATE A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. 5 

apportioned to the States in the proportions which their respective foreign-born 
populations bear to the total foreign-born population of the United States, not includ- 
ing outlying possessions, according to the last preceding census of the United States. 

Sec. 10. That in order to encourage the States to equalize educational opportunities 
five-tenths of the sum authorized to be appropriated by section 7 of this act shall be 
used in public elementary and secondary schools for the partial payment of teachers' 
salaries, for pro\'iding better instruction and extending school terms, especially in 
nual schools and schools in sparsely settled localities, and otherwise providing equally 
good educational opportunities for the children in the several States, and for the 
extension and adaptation of public libraries for educational purposes. The said sum 
shall be apportioned to the States, one-half in the proportions which the number of 
children between the ages of and 21 of the respective States bear to the total number 
of such children in the United States, and one-half in the proportions which the num- 
ber of public-school teachers employed in teaching positions in the respective States 
bear to the total number of public-school teachers so employed in the IJnited States, 
not including outlying possessions, said apportionment to be based upon statistics 
collected annually by the Department of P>lucation: Provided, houcver. That in order 
to share in the apportionment provided by this section a State shall establish and 
maintain the following requirements, unless prevented by constitutional limitations, 
in which case these requirements shall be approximated as nearly as constitutional 
provisions will permit: (a) A legal school term of at least 24 weeks in each year for the 
benefit of all children of school age in such State; (b'l a compulsory school-attendance 
law requiring all children between the ages of 7 and 14 to attend some school for at 
least 24 weeks in each year; (c) a law requiring that the English language shall be the 
basic language of instruction in the common-school branches in all schools, public 
and private. 

Sec. 11. That in order to encoui'age the States in the promotion of physical educa- 
tion, tf^'o-tenths of the <^um authorized to be appropriated by section 7 of this act shall 
be used for physical education and instruction in the principles of health and sanita- 
tion. The said siim shall be apportioned to the States in the proportions which their 
respective populations bear to the total population of the United States, not including 
outUans? possessions, according to the last preceding census of the United States. 

Sec. 12. That in order to encourage the States in the preparation of teachers for 
public-school service, particularly in rural schools, three-twentieths of the sum 
authorized to be appropriated by section 7 of this act shall be used to provide and 
extend facilities for the improAement of teachers already in service and for the more 
adequate preparation of prospective teachers, and to provide an increased number of 
trained and competent teachers by encouraging, through the establishment of scholar- 
ships and otherwise, a greater number of talented young people to make adequate 
preparation for public-school service. The said sum shall be apportioned to the 
States in the proportions which the number of public-school teachers employed in 
teaching positions in the respective States bear to the total number of public-school 
teachers so employed in the United States, not including outlying possessions, said 
apportionments to be based on statistics collected annually by the Department of 
Education. 

Sec. 13. That in order to secure the benefits of the appropriation authorized in 
section 7, and of any of the apportionments made in sections 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of 
this act, a State shall, by legislative enactment, accept the provisions of this act' 
and provide for the administration and distribution of such funds as may be appor- 
tioned to said State, and shall designate the State's chief educational authority, 
whether a State superintendent of public instruction, a commissioner of education, 
a State board of education, or other legally constituted chief educational authority, 
to represent said State in the administration of this act, and such authority so desig- 
nated shall be recognized by the Secretary of Education: Provided, That in any State 
in which the legislature does not meet in 1921, the governor of said State, in so far as 
he may have authority so to do, may take such action, temporarily, as is herein pro- 
vided to be taken by legislative enactment in order to secure the benefits of this act, 
and such action by the governor shall be recognized by the Secretary of Education 
for the purposes of this act, when reported by the chief educational autliority deris- 
nated to represent said State, until the legislature of said State shall have met in duo 
course and been in session 60 days. 

In any State accepting the provisions of this act the State treasurer shall be desig- 
nated and appointed as custodian of all funds received by said State as apportion- 
ments under the provisions of this act, to receive and provide for the proper custody 
and disbiu'sement of the same, such disbursements to be made in accordance with the 
legal provisions of said State, on warrants duly drawn by the State's chief educational 
authority designated to represent said State in the administration of this act. 



6 CREATE A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIOl^. 

A State may accept the provisions of any one or more of the respective apportion- 
ments authorized in sections 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of this act, and may defer the accept- 
ance of any one or more of said apportionments: Provided, hoiuever. That no money 
shall be apportioned to any State from any of the funds provided in sections 8, 9, 10, 
11, and 12 of this act unless a sum at least equally as large shall be provided by said 
State, or by local authorities, or by both, for the same purpose: And provided, That 
the sum or sums provided by a State for the equalization of educational opportunities, 
for the promotion of physical education, and for the preparation of teachers shall not 
be less for any year than the amount provided for the same purpose for the fiscal year 
next preceding the acceptance of the provisions of this act by said State: And provided 
further. That no money apportioned to any State under the provisions of this act shall 
be used by any State or local authority, directly or indirectly, for the purchase, rental, 
erection, preservation, or repair of any building or equipment, or for the purchase or 
rental of land, or for the payment of debts or the interest thereon. 

Sec. 14. That when a State shall have accepted the provisions of this act and shall 
have provided for the distribution and administraition of such funds as may be appor- 
tioned to said State, as herein provided, the State's chief educational authority 
designated to represent said State shall so report in writing to the Secretary of Educa- 
tion. If such report shows that said State has complied with the provisions of this act 
with respect to any one or more of the apportionments authorized in sections 8, 9, 10, 
11, and 12 of this act, the Secretary of Education shall apportion to said State for the 
fiscal year, or for the remainder of the fiscal year, as the case may be, such funds as 
said State may be entitled to receive under the provisions of this act, and shall certify 
such apportionment or apportionments to the Secretary of the Treasury: Provided, 
That courses of study, plans, and methods for carrying out the purposes and provisions 
of this act within a State shall be determined by the State and local educational au- 
thorities of said State, and this act shall not be construed to require uniformity of 
courses of study, plans, and methods in the several States in order to secure the bene- 
fits herein provided: And provided further , That all the educational facilities encour- 
aged by the provisions of this act and accepted by a State shall be organized, super- 
vised, and administered exclusively by the legally constituted State and local educa- 
tional authorities of said State, and the Secretary of Education shall exercise no au- 
thority in relation thereto except as herein provided to insure that all funds appor- 
tioned to said State shall be used for the purposes for which they are appropriated by 
Congress. 

Sec. 15. That the Secretary of Education is authorized to prescribe plans for keep- 
ing accounts of the expenditures of such funds as may be apportioned to the States 
under the provisions of this act and to audit such accounts. The Secretary of Educa- 
tion maji withhold the apportionment or apportionments of any State for the next 
ensuing fiscal year whenever he shall determine that such apportionment or appor- 
tionments made to said State for the current fiscal year are not being expended in 
accordance with the provisions of this act: Provided, however, That before withholding 
any such apportionment fi-om any State, as herein provided, the Secretary of Educa- 
tion shall give due notice in writing to the chief educational authority designated to 
represent said State, stating specifically wherein said State fails to comply with the 
provisions of this act. 

- If any portion of the money received by the treasurer of a State under the provisions 
of this act for any of the purposes herein provided shall, by action or contingency, 
be diminished or lost, the same shall be replaced by said State, and until so replaced 
no subsequent apportionment for such purpose shall be paid to said State. If any 
part of the funds apportioned annually to any State for any of the purposes named 
in sections 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of this act has not been expended for such purpose, a 
sum equal to such unexpended part shall be deducted from the next succeeding 
annual apportionment made to said State for such purpose. 

Sec 16. That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to 
pay quarterly, on the 1st day of July, October, January, and April, to the treasurer 
of any State designated to receive such funds, such appportionment or apportionments 
as are properly certified to him by the secretary of education, and he shall discon- 
tinue such payments when notified so to do by the Secretary of Education, as pro- 
vided in this act. 

Sec. 17. That the chief educational authority designated to represent any State 
receiving the benefits of this act shall, not later than September 1 of each year, make 
a report to the Secretary of Education showing the work done in said State in carrying 
out the provisions of this act and the receipts and expenditures of money appor- 
tioned to said State under the provisions of this act. If the chief educational au- 
thority designated to represent any State shall fail to report as herein provided, the 
Secretary of Education shall notify the Secretary of the Treasury to discontinue the 
payment of all apportionments to said State until such report shall have been made. 



CREATE A DEPAETME]S3^T OF EDUCATION, 7 

Sec. 18. That the Secretary of Education shall annually at the close of each fiscal 
year make a report in wiiting to Congress giving an account of all moneys received 
and disbursed by the Department of Education and describing the work done by the 
department. He shall also, not later than December 1 of each year, make a report to 
Congi-ess on the administration of sections 7, 8, 9, 10. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 of 
this act, and shall include in said report a summary of the reports made to him by the 
several States showing the condition of public education therein, and shall at the same 
time make such recommendations to Congress as will, in his judgment, improve 
public education in the United States. He shall also from time to time make such 
special investigations and reports as may be requhed of him by the President or by 
Congress. 

Sec. 19. That this act shall take effect April 1, 1921. and all acts and parts oi' acts 
in conflict with this act are hereby repealed. 

ANALYSIS AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 

The bill creates a Department of Education with a Secretary at its 
head, who shall be a member of the President's Cabinet. The first 
six sections of the bill provide for the organization of this department. 
There are many reasons why this should be done. It is generally 
admitted that the education of its citizens is the most important work 
in which a government can engage. This is especially true in a 
republic. A nation can be properly governed only when it is intelli- 
gently governed. While the United States is more dependent than 
almost any other nation upon education for the successful conduct of 
its Govermnent, it is about the only nation in the world that has not 
given education primary recognition, for nearly all the other nations 
have departments or ministries of education with their heads members 
of the cabinet. 

Early m our history we began making appropriations to the States 
in lands and money for educational purposes. We have undertaken 
the work both directly and mdirectly. There are now 30 or more 
different parts of the Government service doing educational work, 
and we are annually makmg large appropriations from the National 
Treasury for then- support. Yet the onl}^ recognition we have given 
education at the seat of government is the establishment of a small 
bureau m the Department of the Interior. There is no coordination 
of the various educational activities of the Government. There is 
no head to direct the work. The Commissioner of Education has no 
authorit}" over the educational work of the Government outside his 
own bureau, which has but a subordmate place, supported by only 
small appropriations. To concentrate and coordmate this work will 
make both for efficiency and economy. To give to education the 
recognition m the Federal system which its importance merits is one 
of the prmcipal objects of the bill. 

AID FROM THE FEDERAL TREASURY. 

The remaining sections of the bill provide for the authorizations 
of appropriations from the Federal Treasury to aid and encourage 
the States in particular branches of educational work which are 
especially urgent. These authorizations for appropriations are made 
contingent upon the States appropriating an amount at least equally 
as large for the same purpose. The particular l)ranchcs of educational 
work to be thus aided and encouraged are the removal of ilhteracy, 
the Americanization of immigrants, the equalization of educational 
opportunities, the promotion of physical education, and the prepara- 
tion of teachers. 



8 CREATE A DEPARTMEXT OF EDUCATION. 

ILLITERACY. 

The extent of illiteracy in the United States is so great as to amount 
not only to a national disgrace but a national menace as well. Accord- 
ing to the census of 1910, there were in the United States 5,500,000 
persons 10 years of age and over who could not read or write any 
language. In addition there were 3,500,000 who could not speak, 
read, or write English. These statistics put us in ninth place among 
the nations, with most of the civilized world ahead of us. The dis- 
closures of the last census as to illiteracy are not yet available, but 
it is believed that the percentage of illiteracy has not been substan- 
tially reduced since 1910. 

Our alarming condition was graphically disclosed by the examina- 
tion of the draft registrants during the late war. The Surgeon 
General's report showed that of the men called to service between the 
ages of 21 and 31 nearly 25 per cent were practically illiterate. The 
Nation's defense is thus doubly impaired. First, because one-fourth 
of the sons of America called to serve are incapacitated for efficient 
service by being so ignorant and illiterate that they can not even 
understand the orders given them; and, second, because in a free 
country its safety is jeopardized when its voters can not read the 
ballots they cast and only know how to vote as they are told. 

The economic loss is tremendous. Secretary Lane estimated the 
annual loss to the Nation because of illiteracy alone at $825,000,000. 
The Director .of the Bureau of Mines states that of the 1,000,000 men 
engaged in mining in the United States 620,000 are foreigners, and 
that 460,000 of these can not speak English. He states that the 
removal of illiteracy among the miners would save annually 1,000 
lives and 150,000 injuries. Investigation has shown that one-half 
the industrial accidents are the result of ignorance, because the 
workers can not read the danger warnings or understand the orders 
given. 

It has been said that illiteracy is a southern problem. The facts 
do not warrant that conclusion. Georgia has 89,000 illiterates, but 
New York has 406,000. Alabama has 352,000, while Pennsylvania 
has 354,000. Louisiana has 352,000, Mississippi 290,000, and Texas 
has 282,000, but Illinois has 168,000, Ohio 124,000, and New Jersey 
1 13,000. Even Massachusetts has 141 ,000, and undertakes to partially 
solve her illiteracy problem by depriving them of the right to vote. 

It is thought by man-y that illiteracy is a race question. But it is 
much more than that. 'There are over 1,000,000 more white illiterates 
in the United States than illiterate negroes. 

AMEBIC ANIZATIOX . 

Closeh' allied with the problem of the removal of illiteracy is the 
Americani'zation of our loreign born. We have now more than 
15,000,000 foreign-born population in the United States. More than 
5,000,000 can not read or write the English language. More than 
2,000,000 can not read or write any language. This mass of ignorance 
is not merly a negative evil ; it has become and is now an active source 
of danger to the Republic. Alien communities where our language 
is not spoken, where our magazines and newspapers are not read, 
and where no American ideals or anv understanding of our institutions 



CREATE A DEPARTMEXT OF EDUCATION. 9 

are made known constitute a rich soil in which are sown the seeds of 
unrest and revolt. xVlien agitators who advoca.te the destruction of 
our Government, v.diose only purpose in coming to out shores is to 
excite revolution by violence, find here their opportunity. These 
revolutionists whom we have mistakenly allowed to come to this 
country easily win the confidence of their countrymen and easily 
lead them astray. Most of the difficulties among foreign working- 
men have their origin in the evil work of these foreign malcontents 
and trouble m.akers. 

There is but one cure for these conditions, and that is to educate 
the immigrant to understand our language, our Government, and our 
institutions. We are ourselves largely to blame. We admit the 
foreigner on easy terms and then let hini shift for himself. We should 
surround him from the first with an atmosphere of helpful and 

gatriotic influence. We should teach him to know what a free 
overnment is and what America really means. A man can not 
love a country which he does not understand. He can not appreciate 
and cherish institutions which are incomprehensible to him. 

The task of the Americanization of immigrants, as well as that of 
the removal of illiteracy, is very largely an adult problem. The 
children we hope will be cared for in the schools. But there are few 
schools and few facilities of any kind for the education of grown 
men and women. That fact makes the problem more difficult, and 
accounts in part for the delay and reluctance of the States to meet 
the demand. But the difficulty must be faced. It is the duty of 
both the States and the Nation to meet it, and it is hoped that by 
an effective cooperation in the work we may be able within a few 
years to materially better the conditions that now exist. 

EQUALIZING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. 

Provision is made for an appropriation to encourage the States to 
equalize educational opportunities for the youth of the land. That 
great inequalities exist within and among the States is well known. 
In the South a large proportion of the Negro children never see the 
inside of a schoolhouse. In the North there is hardly a city that has 
adequate school facilities for all its children. In some rural com- 
munities and factory districts the value of the property is so small 
that local taxation can not support the schools. In other sparsely 
settled communities means must be provided to carry pupils to cen- 
tral schools. The differences between the city and country schools 
are marked. On an average the country boy has two months less 
of a school year than the city boy. Through the' eight grades this 
amounts to one year and four months' advantage given the city boy 
over the country boy. 

Unfortunately it is found that where the educational needs are 
greatest the schools are most inadequate. All over our land the 
poorest schools are in the poorest communities — just where the best 
schools are most needed. Through national cooperation with the 
States and the local communities these unfortunate conditions can 
be largely remedied. It should be the Nation's task to so encourage 
the States and cooperate with them that cA'^ery child in America, 
whether born in a city or in a remote rural district, shall have the ad- 
vantage of at least a commor>-sch'^'"^ education. The idea is funda- 



10 . CREATE A DEPAETMEXT OF EDUCATIOISr. 

mentally sound that the Nation, the State, and the local community 
should share in the responsibility and the expense of supporting an 
adequate and equalized system of public education. 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION. 

The Provost Marshal General's report revealed the startling* fact 
that more than one-third of the men examined for military service 
in the late war were disqualified by reason of physical disability. It 
is also stated that 90 per cent of these hundreds of thousands of 
young men thus classed as physical defectives unfit for military serv- 
ice could have qualified had they been taught the application of the 
simplest rules of hygiene and health. It was ignorance, gross igno- 
rance, that in the vast majority of cases was the cause of their 
incompetence. 

If one-third of our young men are diseased and unfit to fight for 
their country, they are unfit to make their full contribution to the 
life and progress of the Nation. They can not bring to their families, 
to the community, or to the Nation a man's share of its obligation 
and service. In a double sense physical education is a national 
interest. Not only because a physical defective is a burden to the 
Nation, but because it is as necessary to have sound men as it is to 
have effective guns and ammunition for the Nation's defense. The 
addition to the d5mamic power of the Nation, the strengthening of all 
the forces that make not only for national defense but for progress, 
even the increase of moral strength that would come from observance 
of the fundamental principles of healthful living, are incalculable. 

There is but one adequate and sensible course, to adopt and put 
into operation as part of our school curriculum a system of physical 
education in its broadest and best sense. Unfortunately this has 
not been generally done.. The additional cost deprives many schools 
and thousands of children of this essential element of education, with 
the unfortunate results already referred to. As the Nation has an 
immediate interest in the physical fitness of its citizens, it is only 
proper it should bear a part of the expense and do something toward 
stimulating the activity of the States in this regard. 

PREPARATION OF TEACHERS. 

It is generally admitted by those who have given thourht to the 
subject that the most pressing educational problem in America is 
how to overcome the difficulty of securing competent teachers for 
our schools. Thousands of schools are closed because teachers can 
not be obtained. Tens of thousands of schools are taught by incom- 
petent teachers. Over 100,000 teachers now teaching American 
youth are less than 20 years old; 30,000 have no education beyond 
the eighth grade; 200,000 have less than a high-school education; 
300,000 have no professional training whatever. 

The principal cause of this is that teachers have been paid less 
wages than almost any other class engaged in private or public 
service. The average salary paid teachers in the United States last 
year was $640. This is less than the wages paid scrub women or 
ditch diggers. It is only a fraction of the amount paid mechanics. 
It must be manifest that such conditions wiU drive all competent 



CREATE A DEPAETMENT OF EDUCATION. 11 

and self-respecting teachers from their work. It is certainly the duty 
of the people of the United States to bring up to at least a scale of 
reason and justice the salaries of the teachers of the country. 

But it is also the duty of the people to see that adequate means for 
the preparation of teachers be made available on such terms as will 
induce competent young men and women to engage in teaching. 
And this is not merely a local problem nor a State problem; it is a 
national problem as well. It is undoubtedly one of the principal 
duties of our schools to put into the minds and hearts of the youth 
of our land the principles of American liberty and justice and to teach 
them the blessings and the responsibility of American citizenship, 
Indifference as to the want of school privileges or as to the character 
of the schools and their teachers will inevitably result in the deteriora- 
tion of our citizenship and endanger the life of the Nation. It is 
to aid and encourage the States in the work of preparing competent 
teachers for all the schools within their borders, both public and 
private, that this provision is inserted in the bill. 

OBJECTIONS. 

It is urged that this bill provides for an undue extension of the 
powers of the General Government; that education is properly a 
State function and should not be invaded by the Nation. In reply 
to this objection it may be said that the legislation proposed does not 
"usurp the powers of the States in their control of education. On 
the contrary, the control and management of the schools by State 
and local authorities is most carefully preserved, and very definite 
and positive provision is made against any interference on the part 
of the Federal Government. It can not be too strongly stated that 
this bill is to aid and encourage, and not to control. The bill instead 
of granting power to the Federal Government to control education 
within the States in the strongest possible provisions guards against 
it. The Secretary of Education is denied the right to establish 
standards or to exercise any power over the conduct of the schools. 
The only standards or conditions which must be met by the States 
in order to receive the benefits provided are clearly stated in the bill. 
All details with respect to courses of study, plans, and methods are 
left entirely to the States. 

It can not be said that national aid for education is a new proposi- 
tion. As a matter of historic fact, the policy of making grants by 
the National Government for the education of the people antedates 
the adoption of the Constitution. The land act of 1785 provided 
for the survey of the Northwest Territory and set aside therein lot 
No. 16 in every township for "the maintenance of public schools 
within said township." The ordinance of 1787 declared that 
'^Schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." 
In 1826 the section-grant provision was applied to the Louisiana 
purchase. In 1848, in the Oregon Territory land act, sections 16 
and 36 were set aside for the public schools. Nor were grants of 
land only made by the General Government. In 1818 the act 
admitting Illinois set aside the "5 per cent" funds for education. 
The surplus distributions were used largely for that purpose. In 
1863 the Morrill Act providing for the establishment of the '4and- 
grant colleges" in each State was signed by President Lincoln. This 



12 CEEATE A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATl 1 i I 

iillillilllll^ 

was strengthened by the Hatch Act in 1887. T 010 090 993 
Act, passed in 1890, gave $25,000 a year to each land-grant college. 
This was increased first to $30,000 and then to $80,000 a year in 
cash from the National Treasury. The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 
gave further increases for extension work and farmers' institutes. 
The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917, providing for assistance to the 
States for the promotion of vocational education, gives a total 
maximum appropriation from the National Government annually of 
$7,200,000 for that purpose. 

It is evident that the policy was early adopted and lias been since 
maintained that the National Covernment shall, when National as 
well as State interests are involved, aid the States in the education of 
its citi.'^ens. 

The additional demand which will be made upon the Treasury is. 
urged as an objection. In the first place, it should be observed that 
the bill does not appropriate but merely authorizes appropriations. 
It establishes a limit rather than creates a burden. It is within the 
discretion of Congress to appropriate the whole or any part within, 
that limit in any year. Besides, it is not at all probable that the 
entire amount provided will ever be called for. To absorb the entire 
amount all the States would have to qualify under all the five sep- 
arate provisions every year. It is not likely that this will ever occur. 
Some States will qualify for aid in the removal of illiteracy. Others- 
will not need it. Some will qualify for the Americanization of im- 
migrants. Others will not do so. And this is the case with each of 
the five provisions. The Federal (;'overnment will respond only 
when the State shall deem its own need in that particular matter of 
sufficient importance to make at least an equal appropriation. 

When Congress is to consider to which of the various demands for 
appropriations it will respond, it should make selection of those 
which are of greatest importance and omit those which are least jus- 
tifiable. There is nothing of more importance in our scheme of 
< overnment than the education of the people. Whatever else may 
be left out, education can not safely be excluded. If there is anj^ 
one thing that justifies a tax in the judgment of American citizens, 
it is that which "strengthens and supports our public schools. There- 
are many millions now appropriated which have much less justifi- 
cation than the appropriations called for under the terms of this bill. 

If education should be given the recognition which its importance 
requires, if illiteracy is a national peril, if ignorance of our language 
and institutions is a source of danger, if through the equalization of 
educational opportunities there should be guaranteed to every child 
in the land at least a common-school education, if the conservation, 
of the physical well-being of the j^outh of our land is imperative from 
the standpoint of national welfare, if there should be provided for 
every boy and girl in America a competent, well-qualified teacher in 
order that there may be developed throughout our Nation an intel- 
ligent and enlightened citizenship, then it can be fairly said that this 
legislation is justified. 

o 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



010 090 993 5 




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